Only three classes of outside cylinder 0-6-0 tank engines were ever built by the GWR, the 1361, 1366 and 1500 classes. The designer was Harold Holcroft with Churchward as the Chief Mechanical Engineer.

The 1361 class of five locomotives built at Swindon was designed in1910 for shunting in sidings with severe curves (such as docks) and they had a wheel base of only 11ft. They were an updated version of the old 1392 class engines which were built for the Cornwall Mineral Railways in 1873 and were taken over by the GWR in 1877. They were the last saddle tank to be constructed at Swindon.

The usual home of the 1361 class was Plymouth where they worked in Millbay Docks and on the Sutton Harbour branch. Until 1928 some of the locomotives could also be found at St Blazey engine shed in Cornwall where they worked on the ex Cornwall Mineral Railway branches and also at Moorswater for working the Looe branch.

In 1920 one of the locomotives was transferred to Newton Abbot, for shunting at the railwat workshops there. This duty continued until 1952. Others were allocated to Taunton (1953 – 1961) for working at Bridgewater (mainly the docks), and Swindon (1956 – 1961). One was briefly on the Weymouth Harbour Tramway in 1949 and another went briefly to St Philips Marsh in Bristol in 1962.

The 1361 class were fitted with round-topped boilers and saddle tanks. The 1366 class was developed from them with Belpaire boilers and pannier tanks.

They were to be found at Swindon and docks such as Weymouth, Plymouth and Bridgewater

Preservation

1363

1363 was built at Swindon in 1910.

It was withdrawn from service in November 1962 and was one of the last two remaining. They were replaced by D2000 diesel shunters.

1363 spent most of its working life at Laira (Plymouth), being used in the docks, often to haul the ocean liner expresses between ship and mainland station. Because of this it was fitted with full vacuum brake and steam heating equipment. Records show that the whole of its life with BR was allocated to Plmouth Laira and Plymouth Millbay.

BR motive power depot allocations.

Date Arrived

Depot

January 1948

Plymouth Laira

December 1948

Plymouth Millbay

January 1951

Plymouth Laira

1363 also spent some time after the second world war on similar duties at Weymouth; there trains ran along public roads and for this it was fitted with a warning bell, the mounting holes for which can be seen on the left side running plate, just ahead of the cab. It was named Viking for a while there.

After withdrawal from British Railways service 1363 remained to become Laira’s last steam locomotive, eventually being bought by a group of GWS members and presented to the Society. It trundled in steam at Totnes in August 1964, where it was restored to full working order. In May 1969, 1363 moved to the Society depot at Bodmin, where it received a new front buffer beam, fabricated on a submarine depot courtesy of the Royal Navy. Upon closure of the Bodmin Depot it moved to Didcot where, after several years in use, and then on static display, it is now under overhaul.

1363 is the oldest genuine GWR engine at Didcot.

The overhaul of 1363 is expected to resume in 2019 and it is hoped that it will be operational again in 2021.

Locomotives have been arranged by the British Railways number they carried. Searches can also be made using any number or name the engine has carried during its life.

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